Connie Veillette

Amanda Glassman and Nandini Oomman, here at CGD, have released two separate notes (here and here) on the Global Health Initiative (GHI).  Amanda and Nandini, who both have deep backgrounds in global health issues, are critical of the GHI and cautious about its future.  Both see health assistance, in all its many forms, as a fundamental development activity.  Both knock the dysfunction of the current bureaucratic structure and lines of authority an

USAID’s Policy, Planning and Learning Bureau released a new strategy today, this one on climate change.  The latest strategy adds to a growing list of policy guidelines that you can find here.

Many thanks for the work of our Poets-in-Residence: Casey Dunning and Julie Walz. If you'd like to revisit last year's poem, 'Twas the Night Before the QDDR, click here. Wishing everyone happy holidays from the Rethink team – Connie, Casey, and Will.

Every Wonk

Down in Wonk-ville

Liked Reform a lot…

But the Budget

Who lived just South of Wonk-ville

Did NOT!

The Budget hated Reform! The whole Reform season!

Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

It could be that foreign aid wasn’t working quite right.

It could be, perhaps, that money was too tight.

But I think that the most likely reason of all

May have been that the U.S. economy was two sizes too small.

But,

Whatever the reason,

Money or how aid performs,

He stood there on Shutdown Eve, hating Reforms.

“And they’re making aid requests!” he snarled with a sneer.

“Reforms are coming! They’re practically here!”

Then he growled with his riders surely forthcoming

“I MUST find a way to keep Reform from coming!”

For, soon, he knew…

Despite some last minute fits and starts, it appears that the House and Senate are cleared to pass a megabus spending bill containing the State Department and Foreign Operations budget.  With a deadline looming (Friday midnight) before another short-term continuing resolution is needed, and members wishing to get out of town for the end-of-year break, there is a good shot that action will be completed on fiscal year 2012…that began back on October 1.